Caballo de Mar reigned once again in the Prix du Cadran following an unforgettable duel
Defeated Scandinavia by a mere neck after battling all the way down the home stretch, surviving an objection lodged by Ryan Moore. The George Scott trainee became the first horse since Westerner in 2004 to capture back-to-back editions of the iconic Group 1 feature at ParisLongchamp
PARIS, France (Special for Turf Diario).— Caballo de Mar had already demonstrated twelve months ago that the marathon distances of ParisLongchamp were tailor-made for him. This time he faced a vastly greater challenge, but the outcome remained identical. The remarkable stayer conditioned by George Scott captured the Prix du Cadran(G1) for the second consecutive year, prevailing after a formidable head-to-head battle with Scandinavia (Justify) and surviving a subsequent stewards' inquiry that kept the result in suspense.
A mere neck separated the two main protagonists following a tension-filled finish.
Scandinavia arrived as the formidable challenger capable of ending Caballo de Mar’s reign. The Ballydoylerepresentative had not lost since July 2025, riding an eight-race winning streak that included his recent victory in the Irish St Leger (G1).
However, Oisin Murphy rides with precision and mapped out a race strategy tailored specifically around him. The jockey aboard Caballo de Mar shadowed virtually every move made by Ryan Moore on Scandinavia, and as they turned into the stretch, it became crystal clear that the outcome would be decided between the two.
With around 200 meters remaining, the battle reached fever pitch. Caballo de Mar went after the favorite, Scandinavia dug in gamely, and neither horse could shake the other off. The Aidan O’Brien trainee fought to the final stride, but Caballo de Mar maintained that razor-thin margin to cross the wire ahead.
Yet one final chapter remained. Very close to the finish line, Caballo de Mar drifted inward and bumped Scandinavia. Moore even brushed against the inside rail, though he never ceased riding his mount aggressively.
The jockey immediately lodged an objection, forcing the stewards to carefully review the stretch run. The wait was lengthy and nerve-wracking. Ultimately, they ruled that the interference had occurred too close to the wire to have altered the final placing.
Caballo de Mar remained the official winner.
A Double 22 Years in the Making
The victory places the George Scott trainee in a rarefied space within the modern history of the Cadran. No horse had managed to win the historic contest in back-to-back seasons since Westerner (Danehill) completed the double in 2003 and 2004.
“What an incredible racehorse,” summarized an emotional Scott after the result was confirmed. “He is very special to us. To come back here and win the Cadran again is just fantastic.”
The trainer had additional reason to savor the victory, as Caballo de Mar’s campaign had not been entirely smooth sailing. He had started the year in brilliant fashion, capturing the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (G1) in May over the very same ParisLongchamp course, but then lost consistency through the midsummer months.
Scott managed to bring him back to his peak right on time.
Caballo de Mar returned to his finest form last month with a victory in the Doncaster Cup Stakes (G2), a performance that restored his team’s confidence ahead of the long-awaited showdown with Scandinavia.
The trainer had previously expressed belief that he could dethrone the Ballydoyle favorite, and the horse proved him entirely right on the track.
Season Ends for Scandinavia
The defeat snapped an extraordinary eight-race winning streak for Scandinavia, though Aidan O’Brien remained satisfied with his horse's effort.
“He ran well, but he has had a long season,” explained the Irish trainer. O’Brien also noted that the ground conditions—slightly softer than ideal—did not suit Scandinavia, confirming that the Cadran would mark the final start of his campaign.
For Caballo de Mar, however, the afternoon turned into another historic chapter in his career. He won the Cadran in 2025, navigated ups and downs throughout this season, and returned to ParisLongchamp to defend his crown against an opponent undefeated in over a year. He had to dig deep until the final stride and endure a stewards' inquiry, but the verdict remained unchanged: twelve months later, Caballo de Mar reigns once again as the king of Paris stayers.
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